Superior spectra even at high output rates and industrial noise conditions
The CSX family of processors are fully digital X-ray signal processors that combine the features of signal processor, ADC & MCA into a single cost effective package. They produce high quality spectra over a wide range of input rates as well as at low energy. The quality assurance aspect allows careful monitoring of the system stability, ensures that all events are accounted for and that in turn ensures high quality and repeatable analyses.
The CSXRF program is a FP based program that uses one or more standards to confirm or calibrate the system description. The method employed is to fit a digitally filtered model x-ray spectrum to the digitally filtered data spectrum by means of a non-linear least squares algorithm. The model spectrum is generated using analytical functions to describe a series of characteristic x-ray lines based on FP x-ray energy and relative intensity information of the elements assumed to be in the sample. Each line is modelled as a Voigtian style peak (a system Gaussian component convoluted with the natural Lorentzian x-ray line shape) with any associated parameterized tailing.
When an X-ray tube is used as the excitation source in XRF analysis it is critical to know the number and the energy distribution of the photons striking the sample. This can become especially complicated when primary filters are used to modify the excitation source. In addition, knowledge about the detector crystal thickness and correction functions are also essential for elemental analyses. In order to facilitate the analysis process we have developed the THTUBE.exe program that in effect inverts the formula for determining the elemental concentrations to find the best estimate of the excitation function, detector crystal thickness and correction functions using known concentration values, sample and setup information.